Questioning everything

Donald Trump: Sociopath?

There are many people in America, and around the world afraid of a man named Donald Trump, whether they are right or wrong is perhaps only up to Donald Trump himself. There are also many afraid of a woman named Hillary Clinton, but that case is a complicated one anyway. There are people who also call Donald Trump a Sociopath or Psychopath.

There is a man who calls Donald Trump a psychopath, boldly so, perhaps even correctly so. That man’s name is Tony Schwartz and he wrote Donald Trump’s memoir: The Art of the Deal. In 1985, Schwartz spent eighteen months with Trump, coming with him to meetings, travelling with him in helicopters.

There are types of personality disorders, but most of the sociopaths fall under cluster B. The most well-known is Anti-Social Personality Disorder and narcissistic Personality Disorder. The word Psychopath is most commonly associated with Anti-Social Personality Disorder but includes a wide spectrum.

The symptoms of Anti-Social Personality Disorder are

Disregard for right and wrong
Persistent lying or deceit to exploit others
Being callous, cynical and disrespectful of others
Using charm or wit to manipulate others for personal gain or personal pleasure
Arrogance, a sense of superiority and being extremely opinionated
Recurring problems with the law, including criminal behavior
Repeatedly violating the rights of others through intimidation and dishonesty
Impulsiveness or failure to plan ahead
Hostility, significant irritability, agitation, aggression or violence
Lack of empathy for others and lack of remorse about harming others
Unnecessary risk-taking or dangerous behavior with no regard for the safety of self or others
Poor or abusive relationships
Failure to consider the negative consequences of behavior or learn from them
Being consistently irresponsible and repeatedly failing to fulfill work or financial obligations

Donald Trump does have some of the ASPD traits but has more NPD traits

Inability to listen to others: Check! (When asked Questions for Memoir) Schwartz recalls, Trump “essentially threw a fit.”
Fantasizing about power, beauty and success: Check!
Exaggerating achievements and abilities: Check!
Superiority, specifically towards people perceived as ‘lower’ in status.: Check! Oh, the mexican immigrants.
Lack of awareness regarding others: Check!
Increased risk of using drugs and alcohol: Not sure
Social withdrawal: Not sure
Inflated sense of entitlement: Check!
Obsession with class and status: “One of the most deep and basic needs he has is to prove that ‘I’m richer than you.’ ” Schwartz recalls
Exploiting others for personal gain: Check! “He was playing people,” Schwartz recalls. According to Tony Schwartz; On the phone with business associates, Trump would flatter, bully, and occasionally get mad, but always in a calculated way.
Lacking empathy, especially for perceived weaknesses: Schwartz says of Trump, “He lied strategically. He had a complete lack of conscience about it.”
Strong desire for control over relationships: Check!
Envy for those perceived as being of a higher status: Check!
Inability to admit wrongdoing: Check! “Trump shrewdly and unabashedly promoted an image of himself as a dealmaker nonpareil who could always get the best out of every situation—and who can now deliver America from its malaise.” Says Tony, (After filing for bankruptcy)
Distant, practical manner in regards to personal relationships: Not that I know of
Believing that others are envious of them: Definitely
Severe anger if orders or directions are not followed by others: Probably
Can ‘write friends off’ permanently over small or imagined issues: Probably
Great pride in the accomplishments of children or family: Check (Wife fiasco)
Expecting constant praise and recognition for achievements: It’s Donald Trump, yeah
Unrealistic goal setting: Wall, Mexico, Anybody?
Difficulty maintaining healthy relationships: 3 Wives
Feeling hurt and rejected easily: Not sure

Donald Trump does, perhaps coincidentally, have many NPD traits. Whether that matters is up to you but In an interview with the newyorker, Tony Schwartz, the ghostwriter of the art of the deal says “I put lipstick on a pig,” he said. “I feel a deep sense of remorse that I contributed to presenting Trump in a way that brought him wider attention and made him more appealing than he is.”

2 thoughts on “Donald Trump: Sociopath?”

I believe that you are right to suspect the Donald as a sociopath. People must grasp the gravity of what it means to have a sociopath leading the country, making decisions for all of us, and representing us on the world stage. This would be a person without conscience, guilt or shame, and an addiction to manipulating others to feel dominant, as president of the United States. I hope you would consider reading my first blog post to get more information on this topic. Thanks

Thanks, I’m not American but I honestly think his personality does much the standard NPD. His lack of shame and guilt is noticeable to a person that knows enough of psychology. Unfortunately not alot of people realise this and due to the leaked DNC emails D. Trump has risen in popularity. Your post was better than mine and I liked it. Thanks for commenting -Louise.